Semaphore for toy railroads



' Aug. 10 ,1926.

7 1,595,210 F. MIZE SEMAPI-IORE FOR TOY RAILROADS Filed Mag 5. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug.10,1926. 1,595,210 F. MIZE SE-MAPHORE FOR TOY RAILROADS Filed May 5 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 10 1926.

F. MIZE SEMAPHORE FOR TOY RAILROADS Filed May 5. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lllli iiillllllll .Frezl i2:

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I U .hi i TA E TS ATENT J'O FF ICE FRED MIZE, OF CHICAGO," ILLINOIS, ASSIGNGR TO AMERICAN FLYER MFG... CO., OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A- C0R3?OIKLA'IIOIQEv OF ILLINOIS.

T SEMAPHORE FOR TOY RAILROADS.

- Application filed May 5, 1925. 'Seria1 -'No= 28,198. This invention relates to toy railways andmore particularly to a novel semaphore for use in connection with toy railway track.

that end the 111V11t10nCOI'liBGIHPlZLtBS a view illustrating the application of the invention.

- igure 2 isan elevation of the semaphore lo 5 device constituting i the present invention, novel semaphore adapted to be operated or partly. in:. section wto illustrate the parts actuated by a portion of the train in its housed withinithe base. 1n vement to indicate whether or not a train is occupying the block or section guarded by the semaphore, and also having means for trolling section of the third rail of the cl; whereby the said section may-be included in or omitted from the circuit there-= by to render it live or-dead as the operator shownuin Fig. 4. may desire. its condition being indicated by Figure 5 is a detail elevation of the semaanother semaphore arm arranged on the phore arm, I same post with the semaphore arm forgiv- Figure; 6 .is ;an enlarged sectional view ing the other signal previously referred to. taken on the line6-x6 of- Fig. 5. In other words the present invention aims l igure 7' is a detail cross-sectional view to provide a novel combination semaphore illustrating theetrain carried means for acwhich is semi-automatic in its operation, tuating'nthe automatic semaphore arm. that is automatic tothe extentthat it is Similar reference 1charactersndesignate controlled by a portion of the traininits corresponding parts throughout. the several movement, while another part'thereof may figuresiof the drawings. be manually controlled by the operator to Iii-carrying the present inventionintoeffeet, it maybe pointed out that the same is particularly useful in connection with a track system utilizing a plurality of intercommunicatingiloops such as shown in Fig I ure 1, and more fully described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 27g2-54r5rfiledaiMay.15 1925, although it will of course be zunderstood that the present -novel signalling unit .may be used in connection wvithrother track arrangements.

"Referring to Figure 1 it will be observed that amain traekzloop A and a secondary tracle-loop B communicate at the-point of the switch devices Sand S :thereby to provide a .fork between adjacent track-sections ofthedoops A and B in which the present A angles to Fig: 2; also partlyzin section.

Figure 4 is a detail top plan view of the 1 actuator .for the automatic semaphore arm. Figure @is adetail side elevation of the rail section in event that the operator desires to'shunt the train into the track including that section.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a novel semaphore device that is par-= ticularly useful in connection with tracks formed in a plurality of loops or arranged in a series of loops through .which the train passes in a prescribed order as shown and described in my eopending application Serial No. 27,254, filed lifllay 1519 25.

A further objectof the invention is-to provide a simple, practical and reliable c0nstruction that may be readily assembled andinstalled for use by inexperiencedpersons, and which is etlicient and faithful :in novel signalling unit designated generally operation. as C may be located. As willbe observed Y fith the above and other objects in viewfromf the drawing the track sections of the which will more readily appear as the naloops Aand B are all preferably of the centure of the invention is better understood; tral third rail: type and'includetheusual'inthe-same consists in the novel construction," sulated third 'rail R -In the case of the combination and arrangement-"of partshereloop? B however, it may be pointed'out that inafter more fully described, illustrated: and the third-raih section R is insulated from claimed. the remaining third-rail R of the loop B A preferred and practical embodiment of thereby to provide a" section'which may be the invention is shown in the accompanying controlled :at the: will of the-operator to drawings in which:

F igure 1 is amore or less diagrammatic train to come to a stop or move'ahead as Figure. 3- isnan elevation taken at rightactuator for the automatic semaphore arm' 1 be energized or"de-energizedzand cause the' simultaneously control a portion of desired, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The present novel signalling unit C is preferably provided with a plurality of semaphore arms D and E adapted to indicatethe condition for train travel on either of the loops A or B. That is to say it is proposed to provide a signal device comprising semaphore arms for one or more loops of track, certain of which arms are automatically actuated'by a part of the train as it moves along the track while other of said arms may be operated or set manually to the electrified thirdrail and at the same time indicate whether the tracli of which that rail is a part will permit a train to go on through or whether it will be required to stop due to lack of current in the section of third rai with which the semaphore cooperates.

Referring more in detail to the structural features and characteristics of the unit C it will be observed that the same comprises a base 1 which also includes a cap portion 2 which provides a hollow interior chamber for housing certain of the operative parts of the semaphore, as will presently appear. The said cap 2 carries an upright post 8 and has the semaphore arms D and E previously referred to pivotally mounted thereon as indicated at a and 5. Also as shown, the post 3 has attached thereto the platform portions 6 and 7 substantially adjacent and below each of the semaphores D and E,

and these platforms have in turn secured thereto a ladder 8 which extends clownwardly toward the cap '2 of the base. This construction simulates the modern multiarmed semaphore construction and at the same time braces and reinforces the semaphore carrying post 3.

The semaphore arm D has pivotally connected thereto as indicated at 9 a rod 10 which extends through and is guided by the cap 2 of the base, and carries at its lower extremity a roller 11 or its equivalent. Normally the arm D occupies the downwardly inclined position shown in Figure 2, and for the purpose of moving and holding the same to the raised dotted line position a novel train operated actuator F is employed. This actuator may be of any suitable construction, but in the embodiment shown preferably consists of a bar 12 slidably mounted and guided in suitable openings provided in the side walls of the cap,2 of the base and has its outer extremities fitted with the push plates 13 and lat which are obliquely disposed with reference to the bar 12, and as will be observed from Figure 1 are inclined in the direction of travel of the train whereby the abutments 15 (Fig. 7) carried by one of the axles of the last car of the train engage either one of the plates 13 or14,'alternately to push the bar 12 back and forth. This sliding movement of the bar 12 is utilized through the medium of the rod lifting member or cam 16 carried thereby to control the operation of the rod 10. That is to say when the bar 12 is shifted to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 the lifter member 16 will engage the roller 11 and cause it to ride to the peak of the said lifter member and thereby cause the arm D to be lifted to the dotted line position and held there until the bar 12 is shifted in the opposite direction by one of the train carried abutments 15 engaging with the plate 14;.

The semaphore arm E has connected therewith a .rod 17 whose lower end is pivot.- ally connected as indicated at 18 with the blade 19 of a knife switch. The blade 19 is pivotally connected to the terminal 20 mounted on the cap 2 of the base and the forward part of the blade cooperates with the contact member 21 to close a circuit between the members 20 and 21 when the arm E is in the lower or full line position shown in Figure 2. lVhen the arm E is elevated to the dotted line position the circuit be tween the terminal elements 20 and 21 is broken. These terminal elements are respectively connected with the third rail B of the main loop A by the wire 20, and with the insulated third rail section R by the wire 21 as will be seen in Figure 1. Thus, when the insulated third rail section R is to be controlled the operator manually sets the semaphore arm E to the position which will 0 ien or close the switch of which the blade 19 is a part.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present signalling device C includes the novel mechanically operated semaphore arm D which is actuated by the movement of the train to disclose the condition for trafiic in the loop A as well as the loop B. Also if the loop 13 is to hold the train therein instead of permitting it to pass on through, the raised arm E will indicate that the loop B is a dead loop, or the equiva lent of a blocked loop.

In connection with the semaphore arms D and E it may be observed that the same are provided with suitable lens openings 22 which are dished or embossed thereby to receive the hollow disc like translucent mem bers These members are centrally dished and'placed back to back thereby to give a bulged effect, or bulls-eye effect, and the said members are held in place by a locking ring 24-. or its equivalent. This not only produces a very realistic effect in combination with the paint ed semaphore arms D and E. but also provides a very simple and effective semaphore construction.

Without further description it is thoughtthat the many features and advan ages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a toy railway, the combination with adjacent intercommunicating loops of third rail track, of a semaphore device having separate semaphore arms which are respectively automatically and manually controlled to indicate the condition of train travel in either loop.

2. A toy railway including in combination, adjacent intercommunicating loops of track including a central third rail and a section of third rail of one loop being insulated, a semaphore device located at the junction of the loop and said semaphore arm movably mounted on the post, a switch included in circuit with the third rail section of one loop and with the insulating third rail section of the other loop, and means connected with the arm to operate the switch.

3. In a toy railway the combination with adjacent intercommunicating loops of third rail track, of asemaphore device located adj acent the fork formed where said loops communicate and having a plurality of semaphore arms for indicating the condition of train travel in either loop, and train Opelated means for controlling one of said semaphore arms.

4. In a toy railway the combination with adjacent intercommunicating loops of third rail track, of a semaphore device located at jacent the fork formed where said loops communicate and having a plurality of semaphore arms for indicating the condition of train travel in either loop, train operated means for controlling one of said semaphore arms, and the other of said arms being manually controlled.

In a toy railway the combination with adjacent loops of track, of a semaphore device having a plurality of semaphore arms for respectively indicating the condition of train travel in either loop, and means carried by a train for operating one of said semaphore arms and means for manually setting the other of said semaphore arms.

6. A signal device for toy railways comprising in combination with track sections arranged on opposite sides of the signalling device, a plurality of semaphore arms, means interposed in the path of train travel on one of said track sections for operating one of said semaphore arms by a portion of the train, and the other of said semaphore arms being capable of independent setting to indicate the condition of the other section of track.

7. A semaphore device for toy railways including a base, a post mounted on the base, a plurality of semaphore arms ally mounted on the post, and means slidably mounted in the base and operatively connected with one of said arms whereby the same may be raised and lowered.

8. A semaphore device for toy railway cars including a base, a postmounted on the ass, a plurality of semaphore arms pivotally mounted on the postand train operated means shiftably mounted in the base and operatively connected with one of said arms thereby to raise and lower the same.

9. A semaphore device for toy railways including a base, a post mounted on the base, a plurality of semaphore arms pivotally mounted on the post, a rod connected with one of said arms, and an act ator slidably mounted in the base and having a cam adapted to engage said rod when its position shifts to thereby raise and lower the arm to which the rod is connected.

10. A semaphore device for including a base, a post mounted on the base, a plurality of semaphore arms pivotally mounted on the post, a rod connected with one of the arms, and projecting into the base, an actuator member slidably mounted in the base and having a rod lifting portion for engaging with the end of the rod projecting within the base, and means mounted on said actuator exterior of the base and adapted for engagement by a train part thereby to shift the actuator.

11. A semaphore device for toy railways including a base, a post mounted on the base, a plurality of semaphore arms pivot-ally mounted on the post, a rod connected with one of the arms, and projecting into the base, an actuator member slidably mounted in the base and having a rod lifting portion for engaging with the end of the rod projecting within the base, and the ends of said actuator outside of the base being provided with plate portions inclining in the direction of travel of the train in connection with which the device is used.

12. A semaphore device adapted for use in connection with toy railway track including a base adapted to be mounted between adjacent track sections, a plurality of semaphore arms supported above the base, and an actuator for one of said semaphore arms adapted to be alternately projected into the path of the train carried part on a train moving over either of said adjacent track sections.

13. In asemaphore device for toy railways, the combination of a base, a post mounted on the base, manually and automatically opera-ted semaphore arms mounted on the post, an electrical switch device mounted on the base, and a connection between said electrical switch device and said manually operated arm.

14. A semaphore device for toy electric pivottoy railways railways including intercommunicating main and secondary track loops having a central third rail, and said semaphore device including a base located at the fork of the track loops, a post mounted on the base, a plurality of semaphore arms pivotally supported on the post, an electrical switch device included in circuit with the third rail of the main loop and with an insulated section of the third rail of the secondary loop, and an operating connection between one off said arms and the said switch device.

15. A toy railway, including in combination adjacent intercommunicating loops of track one of which includes a continuous third rail and the other of which includes an insulated third rail section, a semaphore device located adjacent a junction of said loops, a manually operated semaphore arm and a train operated semaphore arm on said post for separately indicating the condition of train travel in either loop, and said semaphore device including an electric switch controlled by the manually operated semaphore arm, and said switch being in circuit with the third rail of one loop and the insulated section of the other loop, and an operating connection between said manually operated arm and said electrical switch device.

16. In a toy railway the combination with adjacent intercommunicating loops of track including a central third rail, a portion of whicn third rail in one of the loops is insulated, of a semaphore device located adjacent the junction of the loop having the insulated third rail with another loop, and said semaphore device including a post, a plurality of semaphore arms mounted on the post, an electrical switch device included in circuit with the third rail of one loop and the insulated third rail section of the adjacent loop, and a connection between one of said semaphore arms and the electrical switch device whereby said arm may be set manually to indicate whether the switch is opened or closed and consequently whether or not the insulated third rail section is energized or not.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

FRED MIZE. 

